Transcript Land Based Powers on the Rise: East Asia

Land Based Powers on the Rise:
East Asia
Tended to think of Europeans as backwards
Global effects of European expansion were being felt by the 17th
and 18th C
◦ SE Asia most affected since the Portuguese and Dutch claimed ports and
controlled trade through this crucial link between the Indian Ocean and
South China Sea
Europeans took over Philippines and Indonesia
◦ Established regimes that favored the European merchants
Philippines
◦ Manila center of Spanish commercial activity
Indonesia
◦ Dutch had more tenuous hold; hub in Batavia on Java
China, Japan, and Korea more resistant
Land Based Powers on the Rise:
East Asia (cont)
Missionaries to China didn’t
have much impact
Japanese actively tried to
keep Europeans out
Nomadic invasions continued
to preoccupy Ming
European excursion to the
New World only of marginal
interest
◦ China and Japan ventured into
the seas and traded; most of
their concerns were land-based
and remained focused on their
own internal affairs
Hemispheres United
Zheng He’s Voyages
Atlantic a giant barrier between Europe, Africa, and the Americas
Chinese sailors went on incredible voyages led by Zheng He
who was commissioned by Emperor Yongle (Ming dynasty)
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Seven maritime expeditions
Fleets with as many as 317 vessels and 28,000 men
Reassert China’s power after the Yuan Dynasty
Expensive gifts to give along the way
Chinese vessels exacted tribute from those encountered
◦ Impressed by size of the expeditions and the ships
Zheng He brought back exotic plants and animals, including a
giraffe, for the emperor
Hemispheres United
Zheng He’s Voyages (cont)
Voyages ended with after the death of Emperor
Yongle
What if they’d continued? Would the Chinese
have “discovered” the Americas? Timing about
the same as the Europeans.
◦ Some historians think Zheng He went to California but
most disagree
Either way, the Ming stopped the voyages which
made sense given the dynasty's orientation to
the world
Yongle exceptional emperor
◦ Not skeptical about contact with foreigners, as later
Ming emperors tended to be
◦ To start and stop voyages reflects China’s on again off
again attitude toward the world
Trade was vital to China’s greatness but it could
also bring harm and destruction
◦ On top of that, money was needed to contain attacks
from the nomadic people to the north and west and
the voyages were expensive
Land Based Powers on the Rise
East Asia: The Late Ming Dynasty
Dynasty began with overthrow
of Mongols and lasted 300
years
Early years
◦ Government effective
◦ Population and food grew
◦ Commercial activity continued
Ming emperors wary of
outsiders
◦ Chinese tendency to protect
culture
Silk and porcelain highly
prized
◦ Rulers didn’t turn backs
completely on highly profitable
commerce
Land Based Powers on the Rise
East Asia: The Late Ming Dynasty
Political Characteristics
Palace eunuchs served as
emperor’s eyes and ears with
direct access to emperors
Expanded forbidden city
Examination system revived
◦ Required extensive knowledge of
Confucian thought
Ming armies large, good
leadership
◦ Firearms not as advanced as the
West
Land Based Powers on the Rise
East Asia: The Late Ming Dynasty
Economic Progress and Technological
Resistance
th
Commercial activity strong in China 16 C
Large % of people engaged in trade and
manufacture
Portuguese traded New World silver for luxury
goods; behavior considered offensive
◦ Government confined their activity to Macao
Urban areas grew under Ming; inland and port
cities
Ming not interested in technical innovation
◦ Europeans had adapted and improved many early
Chinese inventions
⚫ Gunpowder and printing
In quest to preserve identity, Chinese took little
notice of technological advances that would
prove undoing
◦ Still, the brilliance and prosperity of the Ming are not
overshadowed during this era by lack of technological
progress
Land Based Powers on the Rise
East Asia: The Late Ming Dynasty
Trade and Cultural Contacts with Outsiders
Middle Kingdom didn’t feel it needed
anything from outsiders
High point in cultural and
commercial relations with Japan
◦ Shoguns embraced Chinese culture
◦ Japanese and Chinese pirates raided
together
Trade contacts with westerners
limited
Important opening for Europe was
Ming tolerance of Christian
missionaries who shared western
technology
◦ Ming found European visitors amusing
and interesting
Land Based Powers on the Rise
East Asia: The Late Ming Dynasty
Trade and Cultural Contacts with Outsiders (cont)
Earlier Christian efforts in China almost
eliminated by the plague and collapse of
Yuan
◦ Jesuits led the way when efforts revived
Matteo Ricci
◦ Understood Chinese revered learning and
refinement
⚫ Used his own curiosity about things Chinese to
impress emperor and to try to accomplish
underlying motive of a establishing China as a
Christian nation
◦ Mastered reading and writing in Chinese
◦ Discovered the emperor’s interest in European
science, technology, and mechanical inventions
⚫ Jesuits corrected Chinese calendars and prepared
world maps (with China as center)
◦ Displayed bronze cannons, cuckoo clacks, and
mechanical clocks that chimed the hours
Land Based Powers on the Rise
East Asia: The Late Ming Dynasty
Trade and Cultural Contacts with Outsiders (cont)
Jesuits brought European
innovations as gifts; took advantage
of good will
◦ Devised ways to convince emperor of
similarities between Confucianism and
Christianity
◦ Number of converts low
Eventually Pope became alarmed
about comparisons with
Confucianism and Christianity;
Jesuit mission ended
◦ Pope demanded ban on ancestral
veneration
◦ Chinese emperor banned Christian
proselytizing
◦ Mission weakened
Jesuits failed in goal of a Christian
China but opened country to
European influence
◦ Writings stimulated interest in China
and demand for goods
Land Based Powers on the Rise
East Asia: The Late Ming Dynasty
The Decline of the Ming
Problems defending borders
◦ Nomadic groups successful
forays across Great Wall
Weak emperors
◦ Corruption (particularly among
the long-resented eunuchs)
◦ Court factions bickering for the
emperor's favor
Peasant rebellions
Manchurians won the
Mandate of Heaven
◦ Renamed empire the Qing
(pure) Dynasty
◦ Not Han Chinese
◦ Barbarians from the north
Founded and maintained a
brilliant new era for China
Land Based Powers on the Rise
East Asia: The Qing Dynasty
Manchu gained control of Beijing
and began campaign to conquer
rest of Ming territory
By late 18th C China reached
largest size in history; largest
country in the world
◦ Transition from Ming to Qing not as
difficult as transitions between
dynasties in earlier periods
⚫ Manchu had been close to Chinese
civilization and had adapted many
Chinese customs and attitudes
⚫ Some gave their support to Manchu in
taking over government
Land Based Powers on the Rise
East Asia: The Qing Dynasty
Political Organization
Qing encouraged separation between Manchu and
Chinese
Confucians subjugated to the victors (like with the
Mongols)
◦ Highest posts filled by Manchu
◦ Confucian scholar-gentry kept most positions in
bureaucracy
Manchu rulers wanted to preserve ethnic identity
◦ Forbade intermarriage
◦ Chinese men forced to shave front of heads and grow
queue as a sign of submission to dynasty
Civil service exams became more competitive with
tests given on district, provincial, and metropolitan
levels
◦ Most student took the test several times
State tightly controlled at center; Son of Heaven view
clearly in place
Emperor led secluded but privileged life in Forbidden
City
“Theatre state” apparent
◦ Sumptuous palace and customs
◦ Emperor’s clothing
◦ Kowtow (three separate kneelings)
Land Based Powers on the Rise
East Asia: The Qing Dynasty
Political Organization (cont)
Manchu dynasty strengthened by two
strong emperors
Kangxi and Qianlong
Together rule spanned 130 years
Cemented prosperous, powerful,
culturally rich empire
Both sophisticated Confucian scholars
Managed Chinese economy efficiently
◦ Kangxi a talented military leader
◦ Qianlong brought such prosperity that he
cancelled tax collections four times
Late 18th C china a well-organized
empire; its influence firmly established in
most parts of east Asia
Land Based Powers on the Rise
East Asia: The Qing Dynasty
Economic and Social Characteristics
Prosperity based upon
◦ Agriculture; high yields from new methods
⚫ Rice, wheat, millet
◦ New foods from Americas
⚫ Maize, sweet potatoes, peanuts raised on soil
not appropriate for previous crops
◦ New foods sustained rapid increase in
population
Population outpaced food supply but
not evident before 1750
◦ Population growth supported by trade and
influx of American silver
◦ Chinese workers produced silk, porcelain,
and tea
New silver supplies generally helped
Chinese economy (contrast to
Muslims)
Land Based Powers on the Rise
East Asia: The Qing Dynasty
Economic and Social Characteristics (cont)
Patriarchal society
◦ Control over women probably
increase late Ming to Qing
◦ Confucian ideals strong
Preference for male children
clear (only males could take
civil service exam which could
boost family status)
Women encouraged to commit
suicide after husbands died
◦ Foot binding popular
◦ Women could not divorce
husbands
◦ Men could put wives aside for
disobedience or adultery
Land Based Powers on the Rise
East Asia: The Qing Dynasty
Economic and Social Characteristics (cont)
High status of scholar bureaucrats
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Distinctive clothing
Income from government service
Lived in urban areas
Owned land that brought additional
income
Below gentry were peasants,
artisans, and merchants
◦ Merchants with the lowest status since
peasants more worthy; considered
honest work
◦ Merchants did not create any tangible
products
Lower classes often called ‘mean
people’ which included slaves,
indentured servants, and beggars
Land Based Powers on the Rise
East Asia: The Qing Dynasty
Cultural Influences
Beyond Neoconfucianism a
rich cultural life emerged in
philosophy, literature, and
history
Emperors supported printing
and distribution of materials
◦ Yongle sponsored Yongle’s
Encyclopedia
◦ Kangxi’s Collection of Books
Popular novels circulated two
often best know to novels are
the Book of the Golden Lotus
and the Dream of the Red
Chamber
Land Based Powers on the Rise
East Asia: The Qing Dynasty
Cultural Influences
Porcelain became major art form
during Ming and Qing
◦ Vases, decorative bowls, painted scrolls
and screens in demand
◦ Prices rose and production increased
⚫ Prosperous Chinese also filled homes with
goods; many items did not go to
international trade
By 1700’s many Chinese could read
and children went to to schools and
academies
◦ Calligraphy, painting, and poetry more
prized than math and science
Members of the scholar-gentry led
refined, comfortable lives
Change Over time
China’s Long History
8000-600 BCE
Earliest know dynasty emerged 1500 BCE in Yangzi
and Huang He River Valleys. Veneration of family
ancestors; emphasis on importance on writing and
learning. Shang overthrown by Zhou; instituted
belief in mandate of heaven
600 BCE – 600 CE
Confucianism, Daoism, Legalism developed during
Zhou dynasty. Shi Huangdi unified China as shortlived Qin Dynasty under Legalism; followed by Han
based on Confucianism. Dynastic cycle patterns
well established
600 -1450
Chaos followed Sui dynasty, then long era of Tang
emerged. Buddhist influences, Confucians regained
control. Neoconfucianism. Tang and Song culturally
rich, military strength greater with Tang. Song
defeated by Mongols, established Yuan. Yuan
overthrown by Ming; rebuilt Chinese cultural
institutions. Ming had mixed feeling about outside
world.
1450 - 1750
Ming strong early, lost control to Manchus – the
Qing. Strengthened China with army and
competent rulers. Largest and one of strongest
countries 1750.
Land Based Powers on the Rise
East Asia: Japan
Japan organized politically and
economically into feudalistic hierarchies
◦ Emperor ruled in name only
◦ Shogun (top military authority) wielded most
real power
◦ Powerful territorial lords, daimyos, had great
deal of local control
Political power fragmented as a result
◦ Each daimyo pledged allegiance to the shogun
as overlord
Late 1500’s civil war
◦ Toyotomi Hideyoshi broke power of warring
daimyos and unified Japan under his authority
◦ Dreamed of ruling Korea, China and India
◦ Died before fulfilled ambitions but his actions
sparked the unification for the first time in
history, as step that was a crucial in the
country’s rise to world power three centuries
later
Land Based Powers on the Rise
East Asia: The Tokugawa Shogunate
Daimyos met under leadership of Tokugawa
Ieyasu to establish centralized government
in 1603
Also called Tokugawa bakufu; tent
government
◦ Implying that it was a temporary replacement for
the power of the emperor
Tokugawa controlled Japan until 1867
◦ Daimyos still retained power and authority
◦ Shogun’s authority based on military might
⚫ To check daimyo’s power; alternate attendance
⚫ Required daimyos to spend every other year at
Tokugawa court
◦ Weakened daimyos in two ways
⚫ Wealth affected because they had to maintain two
households
⚫ Daimyos absence from lands impaired ability to
establish power base at home
Land Based Powers on the Rise
East Asia: The Tokugawa Shogunate
Economic and Social Change
Political unification encouraged
economic growth
Growth rooted in agriculture
◦ Water control
◦ Irrigation
◦ Use of fertilizer
Similar to China
◦ Yields of rice and other foods meant
rapid population growth
Curbed by birth control, late
marriage, abortion, infanticide
◦ Japan had limited space available
⚫ Limited geography , mountainous land,
poor soil
Land Based Powers on the Rise
East Asia: The Tokugawa Shogunate
Economic and Social Change (cont)
Social hierarchy influenced by
Confucianism
◦ Obedience and responsibilities of people of
unequal ranks
Ruling elites included
◦ Shogun
◦ Daimyos
◦ Samurai
Middle class
◦ Peasants and artisans
Merchants at bottom
As peace settled and trade flourished,
merchants became more prosperous and
were among wealthiest
Samurai left with nothing to do in times of
peace
◦ Strict social hierarchy prevented samurai from
other professions; many fell into debt
Land Based Powers on the Rise
East Asia: The Tokugawa Shogunate
Arts and Learning
Culture shaped by
Confucianism,
Buddhism, and
Shintoism
◦ Elite influenced by
Neoconfucianism
Buddhism and Shintoism
more influential among
common people
◦ Shintoism promoted as
important source of
Japanese identity
Land Based Powers on the Rise
East Asia: The Tokugawa Shogunate
Arts and Learning (cont)
Literacy rates high (less characters than
Chinese)
Wood-block printing and moveable type
made mass production of reading
materials possible
Poetry, novels, social satires, and
kabuki plays most common forms of
urban literature
Kabuki
◦ Drama with singing, dancing, and elaborate
staging
◦ Setting for plays often the ‘floating worlds’
⚫ Teahouses
⚫ Public baths
⚫ Brothels
◦ Allowed people to escape rigid public
decorum
Bunraku; puppet theatre also popular
Land Based Powers on the Rise
East Asia: Japan and the Europeans
Japanese attempting to unify Japan; European ships
on their way to the islands by mid 16th c
European traders and missionaries
◦ Trade and conversion main goals
◦ Priests had some success; focus on converting daimyos
⚫ Powerful daimyo Nobunaga murdered, successor less
enthusiastic (Hideyoshi)
⚫ Ordered missionaries to leave the island
◦ Soon persecuting Catholic priests and native converts
◦ Ieyasu, first Tokugawa shogun, banned Christianity 1614
⚫ Drove missionaries out; killed any who refused to go
⚫ Converts tortured, imprisoned, executed if wouldn’t renounce
◦ Tokugawa regime seriously restricted foreign traders
⚫ 1640’s only limited number of Dutch and Chinese ships allowed
to trade on island of Deshima
Land Based Powers on the Rise
East Asia: Japan and the Europeans (cont)
•Tokugawa set about consolidating their
sway over the daimyos once outside
influences were controlled
•1750; struggle for power between
shoguns and daimyos still central
•Shogun’s court at Edo held control
over vassals
•Japanese kept close eye on European
innovations through the Dutch
•By contrast, Chinese scholar-gentry
dismissed European technology as work
of barbarians
•Japanese better understood the
threat that loomed
Japanese Isolationism
Japanese tended to be isolated by geography
Choppy waters of Korean Strait made contact
of invasion difficult
By 16th C European adventurers began to
make their way to Japan as shoguns
centralized their power
◦ Geography no longer counted on for Japanese
independence
Shoguns used power to
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Expel Catholics
Forbid Christianity
Limit Dutch and Chinese ships
Ban western books
Allow foreigners in small, restricted areas
Allowed shoguns to concentrate on
strengthening internal control
Daimyos also interested in European
innovations
◦ Japan poised to become a world power by early
20th Century